Spring tool



Dec. Z8 1926.

A.O. ERICKSON SPRING TOOL Filed Jan. 9, 1926 ,maffia/ Sheets-Sheet 1 6R01 ne.

Dec. 28,1926. 1,612,106-

A. O. ERICKSON SPRING TOOL Filed Jan. 9. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EaZ/50435012 ano: nu?,

Il i) Patented Dee.. 2d, 1926.

STES

ALBERT O. ERICKSON, F JASPER, MINNESOTA, ASSIGN'OR OF ONE-HALF TG KNUTE WOLD, 0F JASPER, MINNESOTA.

Application led January This invention relates to spring tools and more particularly to a device for supporting the springs of a certain type of automobile 'to relieve strain placed thereby on the shackle bolts so that these shackle bolts ma; be removed o replaced.

ln the type of vehicle referred. to, the springs extend above the axle p'aralleling the axle and are securedat their ends to shackle bolts carried by the' axle. These springs, when released from their shackle bolts, have a` tendency to move inwardly and downwardly and are difficult to properly align when new shackle bolts are to be inserted or to support when the old shackle bolts are to be removed.

An important and specific objectof this invention is to pro-duce a device for supporting` the spring capable of relieving the tension of the spring which is brought to bear against the shackle bolt and of such construction that it is self-locking in its spring supporting position in which the tension upon the shackle bolt is relieved.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be very readily and cheaply produced, which will be durable and efficient in service and a general improvement in the art.

rhese and other objects l attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a rear elevation showing a tool constructed in accordance wi `hmy invention applied to the axle of a vehicle in prepara.- tion to elevating` the spring to release the shackle bolts, the spring being illustrated in dotted lines in the position which it assumes when unsupported and released from the shackle bolts;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 but `with the lever in its spring supporting position;

Figurev 3 is a. side elevation of the tool with portions broken away to show the construction thereof;

Figure t is a plan view thereof;

Figure 5 is an end view thereof;

Figur-e 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 3, the spring an-d axle being gen erally designated in dotted lines.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally desig- 9, 1926. Serial No. 80,299.

nates a'rear axle housing of the vehicle, 11 a spring shackle support, supported from the axle, 12 a. spring which is engaged with this shackle bolt and 13 the differential housing of the axle which produces a shoulder 14: at the upper surface of the anic with which the tool coacts hereinafter in a manner to be described. As illustrated in dotted Vlines in Figure 1, the spring 12, when rcleased from its shackle, has a tendency to move inwardlyv and downwardly at its free ends.

ln accordance with my invention, l provide a bar 15, the encs of which are downturned, as at 16 and 17 respectively and shaped to conform to the shaping of the upper surface of the axle. The inner end is so constructed tha. it abuts against the shoulder 14 when in proper position upon the axle, thus providing a gauge for positioning the tool andv at the same time providing means preventing longitudinal movement of the bar upon the axle. The bar adjacent its outer' end or that end bearing the downturned portion 17 is 'provided with a transversely extending pivot 18, in the present instance shown as mounted in a block 19, riveted or otherwise secured to the bar 15, as at 20. The ends of this pivot project and upon one end thereof aV short arm 21 of a bell crank lever is pivotcd at a point intermediate its ends. 4Upon the opposite end of the pivot, alinkQQis mounted.

A spring engaging bar 23 is provided, this bar being of sufficient width to extendentirely across the bottoni surface of the spring and having its upper surface sockets 2li in which are arranged balls 25, the upper surfaces of which project above the upper surface of the plate tojengage the spring and prevent friction between the bar and spring. At its inner end, the 'spring engaging bar is providedywith upwardly projecting ears 26 engaging opposite side faces of the spring to maintain the bar in proper position with relation thereto. At its center, the plate 23 is provided with a pivot 27 which., as in the case of the pivot 18, is mounted in a block 28, riveted or otherwise secured to the bar 23, as at 29. TWith the ends of this pivot are engaged the free extremities of the short arm 21 of the bell crank lever and the link 22.

ln the use of the device, the bar 15 is placed in position upon the axle 10 with the inner end of the bar l5 with the result that the bar 23 is elevated and firmly engaged with the bottom of the spring, elevating the same to relieve the tension placed thereby upon the bolts of the shackle Blconnecting the spring to the spring support 11. At the point where the shackle bolts are properly relieved and free in the openings through which they are directed, the lever has its long arm 30 `substantially horizontally disposed and is automatically locked in adjusted positions. It is pointed out at'this tine that two forces are working upon the plate 23, one to move this plate downwardly and the other to move the plate inwardly.` In the proper supporting position, the pivot 2T is arranged slightly outwardly of av vertical plane including the axis of the pivot 18 with the result that the downward movement` has a tendency to raise thelong ,arm 30 of the lever while the inward movement has a tendency to lower the same. A Thus, these two forces counteract and maintain the plate stationary. With the spring thus held, the shackle bolts may be very readily removed and replaced without any attention to the lever by the operator.

It will, of course, be understood that the construction hereinbefore set forth is obviously capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention and I accordingly do not limit myself to such spe,- cific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim l. A spring tool for supporting the springs of vehicles in which the springs aredirected transversely of the vehicle and overlie, the axle thereof, said tool comprising an axle engaging bar for engaging the axle beneath the spring, a lever pivoted thereto and a spring engaging bar for directly engaging the spring overlying the axley engaging bar and pivotally connect-sail` with the upper end of the lever. i

2. A spring tool for supporting the springs of vehicles in which the springs are directed transversely of the vehicle and overlie the axle thereof, said tool comprising an axle engaging bar, a lever pivoted thereto and a spring engagingbar. overlying the axle engaging bar and pivotally connected with the upper end of the lever, said spring engaging bar havingat itsinner end vears spaced aparta distance equal to the thickness of the spring and adapted to engage the sides of the spring to maintain the bar in alignment therewith.

3. A spring tool for supporting the springs of vehicles in which the springs are directedtransversely of the vehicle and overlie the axle thereof, said tool comprising an axle engaging bar, a lever pivoted thereto and a spring engaging bar overlying the axle cngaging bar and pivotally connected with the upper end of the lever, the upper surface ol the spring engaging,bar being provided with Vanti-friction yelements for engagement with thespring.

4. A spring tool for supporting the springs of vehicles in which the springs are directed transversely ofthe vehicle and overlie the axle thereof andthe axle is provided inwardly of the end of the spring with an enlargement forming a shoulder, said tool comprising anaxleengaging bar shaped at its under surface to conformk to the shaping 'of the axle beneath the spring and adapted to engageagainst the shoulder of the axle with its inner end, a lever pivoted to the outer end of the bar to swing in a vertical yplane, and a spring engaging bar overlying the `axle,engaging lbar and pivotally connectedto. theyupper end of the lever.

5. A spring, tool-,forsupporting Vthe springs of vehicles in whichthe springs are directed transversely of the vehicle. and overlie the axle thereof, said `tool compris- `ing anvaxle engagingbar-.adapted to engage the axle beneath ythespring and a lspring engaging bar overlying the axle engaging -bar and connected thereto by a link pivoted to each thereof, said spring engaging plate having at its sidevedges ears for engaging `the side edges of the spring to prevent displacement of the plate with relation to the spring and a vlever operatively engaged. withvksaidbars Vfor Kshifting ,the spring engaging bar to' move the same into .or outof engagement with the spring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

- ALBERT O. ERICKSON. 

